Historically Low Unemployment Gets Attention of Hispanic TV Networks

In a sharp reversal from what occurred this past summer, when record-low Hispanic unemployment was met with absolute silence on the nation’s leading Hispanic television newscasts, the October 5 news from the U.S. Department of Labor that the national unemployment rate had reached a nearly 50-year low and that Hispanic unemployment had fallen to a record low received significant coverage on all the nation’s leading Spanish-language newscasts.

At Univision, the news not only made headlines, but was the subject of an extensive report by correspondent Lourdes Del Río, who focused on the political impact of the country’s booming labor market:

LOURDES DEL RÍO, CORRESPONDENT, UNIVISIÓN: President Trump celebrates that this unemployment figure is the lowest it has ever been since 1969. That was one of his biggest campaign promises, and now it becomes a kind of trophy to motivate his base in the run-up to the mid-term elections.

However, Del Río was quick to feature four successive quotes by noted Trump critic Carlos Saladrigas, who sought to downplay the significance of the booming economy for voters.

Without specifying what other issues should be more important to voters than pocketbook issues, Saladrigas, who supported former President Obama’s opening to the Castro regime, maintained that “the economy, which normally would play a very important role in the political discussion, has been relegated to fourth, fifth, sixth place. There are other hot topics, much more relevant in the minds of the voters that I think will have more of an impact in these upcoming elections than the economic issue.”

Over at Univison’s new English-language newscast on Fusion, UNews, the historic low in overall unemployment was duly noted, but the specific record-low in Hispanic unemployment went unreported. A curious fumble for a two-hour newscast supposedly focused on the Hispanic angle of the news:

ANDREA LINARES, NEWS ANCHOR, UNEWS: And we have some good news regarding the U.S. economy. New unemployment numbers show that joblessness in the U.S. is the lowest it's been in decades. According to new numbers from the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate fell to 3.7% in September. That's the lowest rate in 49 years. 134,000 jobs were added last month.

Meanwhile, Telemundo featured the most straightforward report on the new unemployment and jobs numbers, with anchor José Díaz-Balart refraining from injecting partisan interpretations:

JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, NEWS ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: Meanwhile there is encouraging data regarding the economy. The unemployment rate fell to 3.7%, the lowest level in almost 50 years. Among Latinos, the unemployment rate also fell to 4.5 last month, the lowest since 1973, the year that the data began to be collected among Latinos. In this way employment in the United States has been growing for 96 consecutive months, the longest bonanza in the labor market that has been recorded.

Finally, smaller Left-coast rival Estrella TV, known for the most consistently virulent anti-Trump editorial line in national Spanish-language television, offered a rare recognition of the administration’s achievement on the jobs front:

ADRIANA YAÑEZ, NEWS ANCHOR, ESTRELLA: And the Trump administration continues to show results in the job sector. Despite the criticisms, the White House once again racked up a victory after achieving a decrease in unemployment for September, thanks to the 134,000 new jobs that were created. This is the lowest level recorded since 1969.

What was missing in Estrella’s coverage, however - as also went missing in the news on another relatively ‘small fry’ rival, Azteca América, was the specific record low of 4.5% unemployment among Hispanics.

ROBERTO RUIZ, NEWS ANCHOR, AZTECA: The unemployment rate in the United States stood at 3.7% in September, the lowest since 1969. The Labor Department said that this figure reflects an improvement in working conditions, specifying that the growth of employment slowed in September due to the passage of Hurricane Florence, as jobs decreased in the restaurant and retail sectors.

Below are the transcripts of all of the above-referenced newscasts, as aired on October 5, 2018.

Noticiero Univisión

10/05/2018

PATRICIA JANIOT, NEWS ANCHOR, UNIVISION: Unemployment continues to fall. It stood at 3.7 percent and it is at the lowest percentage since December of 1969. Women have benefited from the creation of new jobs. Unemployment among women fell to 3.3% and that of men is 3.4%. Unemployment among Hispanics also decreased to 4.5 percent. Although it has fallen since August, it is still above the national average. Lourdes del Río has more.

LOURDES DEL RIO, CORRESPONDENT, UNIVISION: A drop in unemployment is always good news, and in this case it is historic. There hasn’t been anything like this recorded for almost 50 years.

CARLOS SALADRIGAS, CHAIRMAN, REGIS HRG: That means that people who are looking for work will find work, and even I think we will see increases in salary, work hours, benefits, etc.

DEL RIO: The September report from the Labor Department recorded that 134,000 jobs were added. Although it was a positive gain, it was below expectations and the annual average. Experts attribute it to Hurricane Florence, which caused many jobs to be lost. Although today's announcement is very positive, some economists believe that it should be analyzed in its right perspective.

SALADRIGAS: This creates an inflexibility in the structure of the economy. Where employers cannot find personnel to fill their positions, jobs are left empty. We are reducing the flow of immigrants, in other words, we’re not bringing in immigrants who would help in this scenario.

DEL RIO: This could create inflationary pressures caused by an economy that has too much stimulus.

SALADRIGAS: It can reheat the economy, and that can lead us to an abrupt end of these good times, with very negative and very disastrous consequences.

DEL RIO: But while that happens, President Trump celebrates that this unemployment figure is the lowest it has ever been since 1969. That was one of his biggest campaign promises, and now it becomes a kind of trophy to motivate his base in the run-up to the mid-term elections. There are those who think it will not be enough.

SALADRIGAS: The economy, which normally would play a very important role in the political discussion, has been relegated to fourth, fifth, sixth place. There are other hot topics, much more relevant in the minds of the voters that I think will have more of an impact in these upcoming elections than the economic issue.

DEL RIO: Indeed, it is already known from previous elections that in politics the economy is only one element to be considered by the voters when making a decision. How much it will weigh in this case, that is yet to be seen. In Miami, Florida Lourdes del Rio, Univisión.

(....)

Fusion's UNews

10/05/2018

ANDREA LINARES, NEWS ANCHOR, UNEWS: And we have some good news regarding the U.S. economy. New unemployment numbers show that joblessness in the U.S. is the lowest it's been in decades. According to new numbers from the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate fell to 3.7% in September. That's the lowest rate in 49 years. 134,000 jobs were added last month.

(....)

Noticias Telemundo

10/05/2018

JOSÉ DÍAZ-BALART, NEWS ANCHOR, TELEMUNDO: Meanwhile there is encouraging data regarding the economy. The unemployment rate fell to 3.7%, the lowest level in almost 50 years. Among Latinos, the unemployment rate also fell to 4.5 last month, the lowest since 1973, the year that the data began to be collected among Latinos. In this way employment in the United States has been growing for 96 consecutive months, the longest bonanza in the labor market that has been recorded.

(....)

Noticiero Estrella

10/05/2018

ADRIANA YAÑEZ, NEWS ANCHOR, ESTRELLA: And the Trump administration continues to show results in the job sector. Despite the criticisms, the White House once again racked up a victory after achieving a decrease in unemployment for September, thanks to the 134,000 new jobs that were created. This is the lowest level recorded since 1969.

(....)

Azteca América's Hechos Nacional

10/05/2018

ROBERTO RUIZ, NEWS ANCHOR, AZTECA: The unemployment rate in the United States stood at 3.7% in September, the lowest since 1969. The Labor Department said that this figure reflects an improvement in working conditions, specifying that the growth of employment slowed in September due to the passage of Hurricane Florence, as jobs decreased in the restaurant and retail sectors.

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